Last Avenger flying..

[Alex Blair (RIP)]

Keith..
Tough old bird finally going to retire...beautiful sounding engine..

http://ca.news.yahoo.com/video/aveng...163517337.html

Interesting facts...
In June 1943, future-President George H.W. Bush became the youngest naval aviator at the time[citation needed]. While flying a TBM with VT-51 (from the USS San Jacinto (CVL-30)), his TBM was shot down on 2 September 1944 over the Pacific island of Chichi Jima.[7] Both of his crewmates died. However, he released his payload and hit the target before being forced to bail out; he received the Distinguished Flying Cross.

Another famous Avenger aviator was Paul Newman, who flew as a rear gunner. He had hoped to be accepted for pilot training, but did not qualify because of being color blind. Newman was on board the escort carrier Hollandia roughly 500 mi (800 km) from Japan when the Enola Gay dropped the first atomic bomb on Hiroshima.[8]

The Grumman TBF Avenger (designated TBM for aircraft manufactured by General Motors) was a torpedo bomber developed initially for the United States Navy and Marine Corps, and eventually used by several air or naval arms around the world.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Grumman_TBF_Avenger

Enjoy...